This study investigates the teleconnection between the central Pacific and East Asia during extreme phases of ENSO cycles. Observational evidence shows that the Pacific–East Asian teleconnection is confined to the lower troposphere. A key system linking warm (cold) events in the eastern Pacific with weak (strong) East Asian winter monsoons is an anomalous lower-tropospheric anticyclone (cyclone) in the western North Pacific. These anomalies develop rapidly in late fall and persist until the following spring or early summer, causing anomalously wet (dry) conditions along the East Asian polar front. Using atmospheric general circulation and intermediate models, the authors show that the anomalous Philippine Sea anticyclone results from a Rossby-wave response to suppressed convective heating, induced by both in situ ocean surface cooling and remote subsidence from central Pacific warming. The development and persistence of the teleconnection are attributed to a positive thermodynamic feedback between the anticyclone and sea surface cooling in the presence of mean northeasterly trades. The rapid establishment of the Philippine Sea wind and SST anomalies indicates extratropical–tropical interactions through cold surge-induced exchanges of surface buoyancy flux. The central Pacific warming plays a crucial role in the development of the western Pacific cooling and wind anomalies by creating a favorable environment for anticyclone–SST interaction and midlatitude–tropical interaction in the western North Pacific. The study highlights the importance of local cooling in the establishment and maintenance of the Philippine Sea anticyclone, but does not address the origin of the western Pacific cooling. The key system of the Pacific–East Asian teleconnection, the Philippine Sea anticyclone, is a Rossby wave response to in situ ocean surface cooling. The formation and maintenance of the teleconnection result from ocean–atmosphere interaction. The WNP anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomalies and associated equatorial easterly (westerly) anomalies persist for two or three seasons, suggesting that WNP wind anomalies are not predominantly maintained by the equatorial central Pacific warming. The persistent atmospheric anomalies are likely maintained by local atmosphere–ocean interaction. A positive feedback between the anticyclone and sea surface cooling plays a critical role in amplifying and maintaining the atmospheric anomalies. The phase shift between the anticyclone and the cooling region is a robust feature and is critical for the positive feedback between the anticyclone and negative SST anomalies. The positive feedback mechanism involves the anticyclone-induced SST cooling, which in turn enhances the anticyclone through Rossby wave excitation. This feedback is essential for the development and persistence of the Pacific–East Asian teleconnection.This study investigates the teleconnection between the central Pacific and East Asia during extreme phases of ENSO cycles. Observational evidence shows that the Pacific–East Asian teleconnection is confined to the lower troposphere. A key system linking warm (cold) events in the eastern Pacific with weak (strong) East Asian winter monsoons is an anomalous lower-tropospheric anticyclone (cyclone) in the western North Pacific. These anomalies develop rapidly in late fall and persist until the following spring or early summer, causing anomalously wet (dry) conditions along the East Asian polar front. Using atmospheric general circulation and intermediate models, the authors show that the anomalous Philippine Sea anticyclone results from a Rossby-wave response to suppressed convective heating, induced by both in situ ocean surface cooling and remote subsidence from central Pacific warming. The development and persistence of the teleconnection are attributed to a positive thermodynamic feedback between the anticyclone and sea surface cooling in the presence of mean northeasterly trades. The rapid establishment of the Philippine Sea wind and SST anomalies indicates extratropical–tropical interactions through cold surge-induced exchanges of surface buoyancy flux. The central Pacific warming plays a crucial role in the development of the western Pacific cooling and wind anomalies by creating a favorable environment for anticyclone–SST interaction and midlatitude–tropical interaction in the western North Pacific. The study highlights the importance of local cooling in the establishment and maintenance of the Philippine Sea anticyclone, but does not address the origin of the western Pacific cooling. The key system of the Pacific–East Asian teleconnection, the Philippine Sea anticyclone, is a Rossby wave response to in situ ocean surface cooling. The formation and maintenance of the teleconnection result from ocean–atmosphere interaction. The WNP anticyclonic (cyclonic) anomalies and associated equatorial easterly (westerly) anomalies persist for two or three seasons, suggesting that WNP wind anomalies are not predominantly maintained by the equatorial central Pacific warming. The persistent atmospheric anomalies are likely maintained by local atmosphere–ocean interaction. A positive feedback between the anticyclone and sea surface cooling plays a critical role in amplifying and maintaining the atmospheric anomalies. The phase shift between the anticyclone and the cooling region is a robust feature and is critical for the positive feedback between the anticyclone and negative SST anomalies. The positive feedback mechanism involves the anticyclone-induced SST cooling, which in turn enhances the anticyclone through Rossby wave excitation. This feedback is essential for the development and persistence of the Pacific–East Asian teleconnection.